I “closed the books” at midnight last night and that is getting too late for an old guy to do every night. There are just more things to do than time permits! But I knew it would be that way. Nonetheless I want to share something each day as we blaze the Hypotenuse.

The route today was between the lovely town of Apalachicola, Florida and Hattiesburg Mississippi, a good part along the Gulf Coast.

Once I got west of Mexico Beach on US98, it started getting busier, but the ultimate was Destin! This is a beach town on steroids, everything is bigger than life, and I think the whole town had the sweet smell of cotton candy in the air. Talk about amusements…Gees…they could have made a mummy dance. I only drove through on the main road, so I missed the mom and pop motel one of our guys was talking about here. But it is hrad to believe there is anything here older than 1995!

Pensacola was attractive for a big city, with an interesting downtown, a place that would be worth a visit, on something other than a 14 day cross country trip.

I stopped and picked up a plastic kitchen container of sand and tiny sea shells to distribute to the members of the Hypotenuse Trail who have asked to be sent goodies. White sand and pink shells…right from the beach. Wow!

I can report that what I have seen of America in the past 4 days, we shouldn’t have any real fear. There is activity everywhere and people look healthy and strong, not to mention happy. I am definitely not a flag waving, chest thumping, kind of patriot, and I love my country and its people as much or more than anyone can…this trip is making me truly proud of America. Roosevelt was absolutely correct when he said “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

I have seen as many colors and persuasions of people as exist anywhere in the world, and I have seen them working, playing, celebrating, and even marrying on this drive. I am reassured.

I am seeing so many beautiful places, all I can say is get off the interstate and on to the two lane roads! I would add, I only wish I had more time to stop and talk with the great people along the way.

The shot below is where I got the sand. The day had started off overcast, and the clouds were just starting to part.

I think this is called the DuPont Bridge, near Panama City. Anyone up on the details? Obviously the older bridge is no longer used.

That all for tonight, folks!! Sorry!

Somewhere in Mississippi….blazing the Hypotenuse trail, and trying to …..

I “closed the books” at midnight last night and that is getting too late for an old guy to do every night. There are just more things to do than time permits!

My wife and I always have that problem on our trips, too! Getting enough rest is important to enjoy things, but documenting what has happened is also compelling.

This year, I think I will hand my wife the laptop and she can take dictation in the car while we drive... that should at least give us a head-start. Then we only will need to download and insert photos when we arrive at our destination...

I bought a lighter lap top, but I still can't convince Sheila to be recorder! In any even, I'm solo on this one.

I thought this technology would be liberating. Instead I spend an hour updating GPS, maps, downloading photos, recharging batteries, etc. Ah, for the old days!!

Thanks for the comment!

Keep he Show on the Road!

Dave

QUOTE (Chris Rowland @ Apr 19 2008, 07:55 PM)

My wife and I always have that problem on our trips, too! Getting enough rest is important to enjoy things, but documenting what has happened is also compelling.

This year, I think I will hand my wife the laptop and she can take dictation in the car while we drive... that should at least give us a head-start. Then we only will need to download and insert photos when we arrive at our destination...

...I will hand my wife the laptop and she can take dictation in the car while we drive...

Yeah. Let me know how that works out. As I've said before, one of the reasons I can do what I do on road trips it that I'm usually alone and one of the reasons that I'm usually alone is because I do what I do.

QUOTE (Keep the Show on the Road! @ Apr 20 2008, 09:10 AM)

I thought this technology would be liberating.

About the only place that technology is liberating on a road trip is on the road. A properly fed GPS can help you follow the course you've planned but first you have to feed it and plan the course, of course. But it's also enabling and there in is the surprise cost.

In 1980, in order to do what you're doing now, you'd have to hurry your film through a 1-hour photo processor (available only in the larger towns), select a few photos to get multiple copies of, type or write out your trip report, get it copied (or write it over and over), stuff pictures and report into envelopes addressed to folks you think might be interested, put stamps (admittedly much cheaper then) on them all, and drop them off at the post office. Naturally, no one in their right minds would have even considered doing that in 1980 but, in 2008, quite a few of us (not necessarily in our right minds, either) have at it largely because of the technology.

We appreciate what ever you manage to post and thank you for it. Good stuff all.

Yeah. Let me know how that works out. As I've said before, one of the reasons I can do what I do on road trips it that I'm usually alone and one of the reasons that I'm usually alone is because I do what I do.

About the only place that technology is liberating on a road trip is on the road. A properly fed GPS can help you follow the course you've planned but first you have to feed it and plan the course, of course. But it's also enabling and there in is the surprise cost.

In 1980, in order to do what you're doing now, you'd have to hurry your film through a 1-hour photo processor (available only in the larger towns), select a few photos to get multiple copies of, type or write out your trip report, get it copied (or write it over and over), stuff pictures and report into envelopes addressed to folks you think might be interested, put stamps (admittedly much cheaper then) on them all, and drop them off at the post office. Naturally, no one in their right minds would have even considered doing that in 1980 but, in 2008, quite a few of us (not necessarily in our right minds, either) have at it largely because of the technology.

We appreciate what ever you manage to post and thank you for it. Good stuff all.

Denny,

First your comments are always right on. You are not only smart, you are wise. One you’re born with, the other you earn.

The saladictorian speech at my high school graduation in 1958 was about how we would soon be troubled by what to do with all our leisure time. You betchum! What we did is do more sooner with technology. I used to take 15 -20 rolls of movies and maybe 20 rolls of 35mm on a 2 week trip. But I mailed them all in at the end, and my friends weren’t made to watch them until a month later……or the next winter. Now we see them almost live, and we could go live if we wanted to.

I’m going to see what it takes to post a batch of unedited shots to the gallery. I may not even label them just yet, depending on the time it takes because I want to tell the tale of two towns I “discovered.”